


Dreams and Nightmares

by SlightlyObsessedwithStories



Series: Jam Week fics [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Jamweek, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:56:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22574386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlightlyObsessedwithStories/pseuds/SlightlyObsessedwithStories
Summary: Steven saves Connie from her nightmare and she saves him from his.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe
Series: Jam Week fics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621948
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	Dreams and Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3- Sleep

It’s been a long day, Connie thought to herself as she laid on her bed. Her bag was on the floor near her, a stack of assignments that were due on different days next week were on her desk, and the presentation she gave as this quarter’s project just drained all her energy for the day.

She turned her head to the side and saw the time, 9:00 p.m. It was getting late, sure, it was the weekend, she could technically sleep in if she wanted to, her parents were a bit more understanding now, but at the same time she could wake up early and use this time to do everything she needed to do.

With a yawn, she got off the bed, turned off the lights and slept.

* * *

She was in the middle of giving her presentation, her classmates eyes bore through her while her teacher tapped impatiently on her watch, time was running out.

She was only halfway through, try as she might to speed things through, it got worse. Whispers can be heard throughout the room that seems to get smaller as time drags on, the clocks ticking grew louder and louder as whispers turned to giggles that filled the room.

Why was this happening? She was already through this, but even as she thought that her heart was still racing. She wanted an excuse to get out of this room, she would rather face the diamonds than continue this. It’s as if what happened earlier got a thousand times worse.

Something was pounding, she didn’t know if it was her heart or the door. She looked to her left and right, there weren’t any doors in this place anymore, just windows mocking her with the outside world.

  
_Thump_

  
What

  
_Thump_

  
Was

  
_Thump_

  
Going

  
_Thump_

  
On?!

  
The glass broke.

  
Room filled with light.

  
Something warm grabbed her hand.

  
It was a familiar warmth, one that was always welcome.

They ran together, hand in hand.

  
When they couldn’t see the room, they stopped running, catching their breaths.

“Steven… thanks a lot… for saving me back there,” Connie said between each breath.

“Of course I did, Connie,” he held both of her hands, “I saw you hurt. Why wouldn’t I save you?”

“Steven—she was struggling to hold in her laughter—that was so cheesy. Now, I’m sure that this is a dream.”

“Hey, at least it made you smile,” he grinned at her, that “Universe Charm” being pretty effective right now.

Everything is different from where they’re standing, well they’re not standing on anything, it’s just a blank, endless space as far as the eye can see.

“Let’s have some fun while we’re both here!” Steven closed his eyes and started to shape the world around them.

Pink clouds appeared under their feet as the blank skies filled with blue and when a bunch of animals wearing clothing started to walk on two legs and float around the area, she was reminded that this was literally a dream.

“Hey, where did the animals come from?” Steven asked while petting a yellow pegasus that landed near them.

“I had dreams based on fantasies I had as a kid,” she joined Steven in petting the pony, “this sweet little girl was from a world full of magic.”

Mentioning magic made multiple sparkles appear around them, in all colors of the rainbow. Every part of them was covered in glittering light.

And they proceeded to do what you do when you know you’re dreaming, you make and do some of the most imaginative things possible.

From racing with rainbow colored pegasi, soaring through the skies at the speed of sound to being super secret agents, long-time partners who are saving the world from diabolical villains planning to take over the world.

This should be the most fun they had in a long time, but in each adventure though, Connie noticed something.

It wasn’t notable at first, a low hum that you wouldn’t even hear, maybe it’s because of the roaring winds, but it was there.

When they were mermaids underwater, waves were frequent, currents kept coming towards them in a predictable pattern. She didn’t give it that much thought.

Being secret agents while the ground was constantly shaking and there were traps everywhere was hard, but bearable. Even stranger was that Steven was completely unaffected by the quakes.

At this point she wanted to ask him if he felt them too, they’re currently knights on a mission to slay a dragon, so the shaking must be felt by him now, right?

After trekking through the forest for some time, they came to a stop in a clearing. Despite being in a dream, they were both tired from the nonstop action.

They sat near a bunch of purple hyacinths; they bloomed just as Steven sat near them.

The ground shook once more and Connie wanted to know, “Steven, did you felt that?”

“Felt what?”

The next tremor almost made her fall, “That! Look even the leaves were falling by the shaking!”

He stood up.

There was something behind Steven, glowing eyes piercing her very being through the fog that started to surround them and Steven wasn’t even noticing it. He looked at her with a smile that’s almost too strained, eyes not looking directly at her. It’s even present in his voice, almost cracking as he tells her, “I’m fine, Connie. There’s nothing to worry about.”

The ground shook, it’s closer than before and she can spot horns crowning its head, reflecting her in its sharp crystals. She can clearly tell that Steven was hiding something from her, but why? And what could it be?

“Everything’s fine, you can continue with your journey.”

Wait, why did he said—

The beast was about to strike, its long scaly neck moved towards Steven, and its maw wide open filled with rows of sharp teeth descended upon him.

“NO!” Connie drew her sword and fought back against it. Her sword straining to hold back its jaw from snapping shut.

“Why did you stop it?” he couldn’t even look at her, “It was supposed to—”

“Don’t. Please, don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

“But I deserved it!”

The sword was starting to break. She needed to convince Steven to get out of its way.

“I don’t know what’s happening to you in the real world, but you know you can always tell me, right?”

“I don’t want to be a burden!” he looked at her and she can see the shame in his eyes as he continued, “You have school, dad’s dealing with the band, and the gems are running Little Homeworld!”

“Why should I add on to your problems?” he whispered.

She took a risk and took her hand off her sword to hold both of his, “If I asked you for help, would I be a burden to you?”

“No…of course not,” there was a bit of hope in his eyes as he said it.

And the sword broke.

* * *

She woke up. Her heart was still hammering in her chest, she just got through him! Why did she wake up?

Her parents were right by her bed. Why were they here? She turns her head to look at the time, 7:00 a.m. 

They noticed that she was up and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Connie—” both her parents said at the same time. Her dad decided to let her mom talk first.

“Are you alright? You were shouting in your sleep.”

She sat upright and hugged back both her parents, “I-I’m fine. It’s just a nightmare.”

“Well, if you want to tell us what your dream was about, it's okay. Your mother still has a few more minutes to spare before she leaves for work.”

After an explanation, more hugs, and some breakfast, she took the quickest route towards Steven’s home and before she would storm into Steven’s room and help him. She politely knocked on the door.

To her surprise, Steven was the one who opened the door. He had a smile that was a bit forced when he asked her, “Hey, Connie, it’s pretty early. What brings you here?”

Wordlessly, she hugged him, tighter than before. She hasn’t seen him for months and from what she remembered from the dream, he needed it.

He hugged her back, “Why- Why did you save me?”  
“You were hurt. Why wouldn’t I save you?”


End file.
